Reclosable fastener strips are widely used in the packaging industry as components for reclosable plastic bags, among other things. Typically, the fastener strips are manufactured in long, continuous lengths that are wound on reels or accordion-folded in boxes for storage and shipping.
These continuous lengths are usually subsequently cut to a size suitable for attaching to individual bags on, for example, a form and fill machine. The fastener strips are normally composed of thermoplastic materials, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene vinyl acetate, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinylidene fluoride, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene or the like. For example, the fastener strips often include backings comprised of a polyethylene-ethylene vinyl acetate blend. The backings often include a profile portion having ridges and a trough composed of polyethylene terephthalate. A representative fastener strip of the prior art is depicted in FIGS. 17–19.
In order for the cut end of the fastener strip to seal against air leakage in or out of the reclosable bag, the end must be closed off in some manner. Also, the closed-off portion should be thinned and flattened to facilitate the cutting operation. Adhesives and thermal welds, notably “spot seals,” have been utilized in the past. However, neither of these techniques is entirely reliable, and both of these techniques tend to deform or obstruct portions of the fastener strips that are intended to remain unaffected and, therefore, reclosable.
Vibratory welding processes, including sonic and ultrasonic processes also have been used in the manufacture of reclosable thermoplastic plastic bags, as well as other thermoplastic work pieces using known power supplies, transducers, boosters, and harmonically balanced horns. Conventional horns used in these processes are of several different types. These types include flat horns, knurled horns, and reverse-knurled horns. However, each one of these horns has two major drawbacks. One drawback is that these horns typically imprint an undesirable contour on vibrated regions of the thermoplastic work piece. The other drawback is that these horns often deform nearby unvibrated portions of the thermoplastic work piece. For example, previously disclosed horns typically deform thermoplastic fastener strips in reclosable portions that adjoin the vibrated region. This deformation creates gaps that prevent the fastener strips from forming an airtight seal.
Ultrasonic processes are also employed to reduce the thickness of thermoplastic fastener strips to facilitate cutting and sealing the thermoplastic fastener strips and associated bags. These previously disclosed processes cannot be relied upon to create an airtight seal, because the prior art ultrasonic horns typically (a) imprint an undesirable contour on vibrated regions of the bag so as to create leaks, and (b) deform nearby unvibrated portions of the thermoplastic work piece.
Therefore, a need exists for a new process for permanently sealing portions of reclosable thermoplastic fastener strips. Desirably, the new process provides an airtight seal in both the vibrated and unvibrated portions of the fastener strip.